Suggs' return a big key for Ravens

Vic Tafur

Published 10:15 pm, Thursday, January 31, 2013

NEW ORLEANS -- Ray Lewis may get all the attention, but the real turning point in the Ravens' season was when linebacker Terrell Suggs came back from a torn Achilles in Week 7. The 2011 Defensive Player of the Year was supposed to be out a lot longer.

"Terrell's passion and fire to come back was amazing," defensive tackle Haloti Ngata said. "I think it made Ray Lewis want to come back from his triceps injury. I think it trickled down throughout the whole team.

"I don't know if people understood how significant Terrell is to our team, and him coming back definitely helped our defense."

Suggs, who had 14 sacks in 2011, didn't have the burst at first. But after recording 22 tackles and two sacks in eight regular-season games, Suggs has 19 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in three playoff wins.

"It's crazy," Ravens defensive end Pernell McPhee said. "You could look at him when he first came back and be like, `Oh yeah, he's not the same Suggs.' But then, as the season kept going, he kept getting better at things and better at his technique.

"And then the playoffs hit and he just got explosive."

Suggs is more lucky to break into song or crack jokes than to talk about himself and his impact, but the five-time Pro Bowler got serious for a minute on Wednesday.

"I don't know if I'm even close to normal right now," he said.

It's the tasks. It's the goal. All of that is bigger than how you feel.

"I guarantee you, come Sunday, when the clock reads 0:00 in the fourth quarter, if the score reads how I expect it to read and how I want it to read, I promise you I won't feel any pain."

Suggs, 30, said he knew this team was on the brink of being special this season, with quarterback Joe Flacco's development, and thus didn't listen when doctors said he might be out the whole season.

"I just refused to accept that," he said.

Suggs also refuses to be quiet, even when teammates sometimes ask him to. He is constantly screaming at teammates and opposing players during practices and games, often quoting obscure lines from Will Ferrell movies or "The Departed."

"He'll be rambling on about some movie he just watched, then quickly he'll yell that the ball is going to the right or left," linebacker Paul Kruger said. "He is great at watching film and picking up tendencies, and that's why Ray and he do such a good job at getting everybody ready."

Suggs insists there is a method to his madness.

"Guys will tell you that I'm constantly talking, even at the snap of the ball, something," he said. "They know what to listen for and they know when to tune me out. I'm pretty much just trying to make sure we're all on the same page, especially the guys on the line."

Suggs said he and his teammates have no problem having fun and staying loose, while playing violently. He'll be singing at practice again on Friday.

"I'm taking requests," he said. "Hit me on my twitter, @untouchablejay4. We're going to be us. Were always going to be us."